He averages 42.3 percent from three through 16 seasons in the NBA. 95.3 on free throws. Steph Curry is widely considered the best shooter in NBA history, and yet he calls his old splash brother’s form
the one to emulate.
On the latest episode of the “Mind the Game” podcast with Steve Nash and LeBron James, the two interviewed Golden State Warriors legendary shooter Steph Curry. And while talking about his own shot and how he developed it through high school, Curry points out that he would recommend copying someone else:
“I would teach Klay’s form to anybody who says, ‘hey, how do I shoot the basketball?’ Clips of Klay. That’s freaking perfect. 10 out of 10. No notes.”
This no-dip catch-and-shoot from a couple years ago, back when Thompson was at Golden State, may be the best example I have ever seen of how a shot should look. You can clearly tell why Curry says Thompson’s shot is perfect:
In the podcast, Curry goes on to call his own shot “not quite unorthodox” – but:
“It’s a one-piece shot, no matter if you’re all the way on balance or off, or right hand, left hand, off the dribble. I kind of can get it there quick enough and still have all my power.”
His specific style and quick release is something that has helped him a lot, especially as a smaller point guard at 6’3.
“Foundation to confidence to now maybe I can experiment a little,” Curry says, underlining one of the core pillars of shooting the basketball well: Confidence.
The fact is that shooting correctly, working on making your form automatic and execute well every single time, getting all the reps you can, having a quick and consistent release, always on balance – is not enough to be an effective and consistent shooter. Especially from range and outside the perimeter.
When it comes to the mind-bending exercise of shooting a small ball through a slightly bigger rim 24 feet away, more things come into play: The mental aspect.
The importance of being mentally strong increases as you get further away from the hoop. At this distance, it’s a constant battle with yourself. Here, confidence reigns and indecision is the enemy. If you think about it for a second, you just lost that fight, that play – and probably missed your shot.
The more you shut off your brain and trust your instincts, form and training out there behind the perimeter, the more successful you’ll be. That’s what we like to call being in the zone, or flow. It’s that natural feeling the brain can get into when everything works together perfectly that you’re always chasing as a shooter.
But beware, because out here close to enemy lines, confidence is king. Without it, you may have the best shooting form the best shooter in the world has ever seen, but that doesn’t necessarily translate into made buckets.
This could be one reason why we’re seeing the player in question, Klay Thompson, struggle so much to start his second season with the Mavericks. Averaging only 26.3 percent from three to start the season, he is not living up to his status as probably a top five or top three best shooter of all time.
A career average of 41 percent tells a different story, however. It is a clear indicator that he will regain his shooter’s confidence and balance his average out throughout the season.
But it is an interesting study in how much the mental aspect affects basketball, winning and especially shooting. The power of confidence helps shooters control their thoughts, their concentration and not be distracted by mistakes or external pressure. Confidence, which when healthy comes from a deep belief in your own abilities, enables players to trust in their mechanics no matter what.
We talk about being “on a roll”, or you “can’t hit the ocean”, and then when it opens up for you, “the hoop looks like the ocean”.
For the boat owning, ocean loving splash brother, you can’t help but trust that Klay Thompson will find his way back. It is in water that he thrives the best, after all.
